Israeli Strikes Continue Despite Ceasefire, Lebanese Journalist Killed

Ceasefires, it seems, don't always mean the guns fall silent. Just over a month after Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a US-brokered truce in 2024, another tragedy unfolded in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.

Ali Nour al-Din, a religious program presenter for Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on January 27th. While Israel justified the attack by labeling him a "Hezbollah member," Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos condemned what he called strikes "sparing neither journalistic nor media crews."

The incident raises uncomfortable questions about the nature of modern ceasefires and the protection of civilians—including journalists—in conflict zones.

A Ceasefire on Paper, Bombs in Reality

The numbers tell a stark story. According to AFP, Israeli strikes have killed more than 350 people in Lebanon since the ceasefire began. Israel maintains troops in five locations in southern Lebanon and continues regular attacks on what it considers legitimate targets.

Journalists have paid a particularly heavy price. The Committee to Protect Journalists counts at least six Lebanese journalists killed in Israeli attacks since 2023, while other monitors put the death toll at 10. Al-Din's killing adds to this grim tally, highlighting the vulnerability of media professionals in conflict zones.

Beyond al-Din, Monday's strikes killed two additional people in Kfar Rumman near Nabatieh. These aren't isolated incidents but part of a pattern of continued military action under the guise of a ceasefire agreement.

Trump's Return and Shifting Middle East Dynamics

The timing isn't coincidental. Since Donald Trump's return to office, Middle East tensions have ratcheted up significantly. A US aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the region, and Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem didn't mince words in his response. In a televised address to supporters on January 27th, he declared that "any attack on Tehran would also be an attack on Hezbollah." He went further, warning against any assassination attempt on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling such threats "directed at us as well."

Iran has responded with its own warnings, promising a "regret-inducing response" that could affect the entire Middle East region. The echoes of the 2020Qasem Soleimani assassination crisis are unmistakable.

The Ceasefire Paradox: Peace or Tactical Pause?

The Lebanon ceasefire was supposed to see Hezbollah withdraw north of the Litani River while Israel pulled its forces from Lebanese territory. Lebanon's army has announced the completion of "phase one" of disarming non-state groups in the south, bowing to pressure from both the US and Israel.

Yet Israel continues targeted strikes, justifying them by labeling victims as "Hezbollah members." This creates a troubling precedent: can a ceasefire agreement coexist with ongoing targeted killings? And who determines which civilians are legitimate targets?

Al-Din's case exemplifies this dilemma. He was a religious program presenter and local preacher, but Israel classified him as a Hezbollah operative. If such broad definitions of combatants persist, the ceasefire risks becoming a fig leaf for continued one-sided military operations.

The New Rules of Engagement

What we're witnessing in Lebanon reflects a broader shift in how conflicts are managed in the 21st century. Traditional ceasefires aimed to stop all hostilities. Modern agreements seem to permit "counter-terrorism" operations and targeted strikes while preventing full-scale warfare.

This approach may serve immediate tactical purposes, but it raises fundamental questions about civilian protection and press freedom. When journalists can be targeted for working with outlets deemed hostile, the line between combatant and civilian becomes dangerously blurred.

The international community's muted response suggests a troubling acceptance of this new normal. Lebanon's calls for urgent action to protect media professionals have largely fallen on deaf ears.

The killing of journalists like al-Din forces us to confront these uncomfortable questions about the evolving nature of warfare and peace in our interconnected world.